1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a direction control device capable of altering the motion of the control target having a plurality of driving means by independently controlling the drive mechanism, and, for example, relates to a direction control device of an electric vehicle of a two-wheel drive and which is capable of changing directions based on the rotation difference of such drive wheels. As such drivers, for example, there are electric traveling vehicles such as an electric car, electric wheelchair, electric cart, and so on. The present invention may also be employed in electric construction machinery, electric welfare equipment, electric robots, electric toys, electric airplanes, and electric optical devices (camera, projector, etc.).
2. Background Art
In electric motor vehicles such as electric carts and electric cars, the vehicle speed is adjusted by controlling the rotational speed of the electric motor for driving the drive wheels. With current electric motor drive vehicles, when setting the speed, the accelerator pedal or throttle lever is operated, the acceleration is set based on the manipulated variable thereof, and, when the desired speed is reached, the accelerator pedal is returned to a prescribed level in order to maintain the speed.
Meanwhile, when steering the vehicle, it is standard that the passenger steers the steering wheel. Conventionally, when taking an electric cart or electric wheelchair as this type of electric vehicle, as the steering system thereof, there are those which change the traveling direction of the vehicle by steering the steering wheel or lever toward a prescribed direction to control the front wheels, and those which change the traveling direction of the vehicle by providing a rotation difference to the left and right rear wheels.
Nevertheless, with the front wheel steering type vehicles, a structure is required for steering the front wheels. Moreover, with the vehicles employing the steering method of providing a rotation difference to the left and right rear wheels, there is an inconvenience in that the passenger is required to provide a suitable rotation difference to the left and right rear wheels each time he/she wishes to change the direction of the vehicle.